Surviving Freshers’ Week

Freshers’ Week is one of the highlights of student life and whether you’re excited, nervous, or a mixture of both, you should make the most of a final week of freedom before university life really starts.

Being prepared is the best way to ensure you have a great Freshers’ Week and don’t find yourself penniless and with a hideous hangover after the first night out.

Here are our tips for surviving Freshers’ Week that will help you have the time of your life:

Start saving early

OK, there will be plenty of free pizza and cheap shots on offer during Freshers’ Week but not everything is free and if you’re not careful with your budget you could find yourself living on toast for the rest of the term.

Buy all of your university essentials, such as textbooks, in advance and then give yourself a budget for Freshers’ Week. If you know you get a bit spend happy when the alcohol flows, leave your card at home and just take the amount of cash you’ve budgeted for the night out.

Get your Freshers’ “uniform” sorted

Fancy dress is a huge part of being at university, particularly Freshers’ Week, so save yourself the hassle of last minute shopping by bringing with you a few key items of fancy dress.

Think school uniform, neon, cops and robbers, and the all-important Halloween outfit.

Unpack as soon as you get there

Freshers’ Week is one of the busiest times of the entire university year but straight after that you’ll need to be on the ball and in the lecture room with everything you need.

Take the time to unpack and get your room sorted before heading out to explore everything Freshers’ Week has to offer. You’ll thank us when you don’t spend your first lecture wishing you had a pen and the right textbooks.

Be yourself and get out there

Freshers’ Week is enough to make even the most confident person anxious but it’s important to get out there and meet people. Some of them you’ll probably never see again, but others could become lifelong friends.

Embrace the Freshers’ Fair, sign up to any and all clubs or societies that interest you, and meet your new housemates armed with a packet of biscuits to break the ice.

Plan a night at home

As important as it is to go out, it’s also important to spend a night in and really get to know your new housemates.

Sweets, a deck of cards, cheap booze, and a stack of feel-good films are the perfect way to get your new friends on side and get to know them without needing to shout over the music in the Student Union bar.

Order your NUS card before you leave for uni

It’s not just at the university where you’ll find great deals, many university towns also put on events or offer student discounts during Freshers’ Week – but usually you’ll need to show your NUS card.

You’ll also find your NUS card useful during your whole time at university to get discounts on everything from pizza to car insurance or trips abroad.

Don’t go overboard

We understand wanting to seem fun but you don’t need to be the life and soul of the party every night.

Believe us when we say you don’t want to become known as the person who was naked, throwing up, and singing “Don’t Stop Believing” at the top of your lungs at 3am.

Avoid being too drunk, spending too much money, and getting too involved with any romantic partners during Freshers’ Week. You’ll thank us later!